NT TLC condemns Labor leader over Jabiluka
By Tim E. Stewart
DARWIN — Support for the campaign against the proposed uranium mine at Jabiluka has been strengthened after the NT Trades and Labour Council at its January meeting condemned NT Labor Party leader Maggie Hickey for her "public support for the abolition of the three mines policy".
The motion was proposed by Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union delegate Doug Heath, who was outraged by Hickey's support for the proposed mine on talkback radio. Hickey also argued for the abolition of Labor's three mines uranium policy at the ALP national conference in Hobart last month.
A letter drafted by Heath on behalf of the TLC and addressed to Hickey stated: "It has been a longstanding position of the NT Trades and Labour Council that there be no expansion of uranium mining in the Northern Territory without the support of the traditional owners. Whilst rednecks, racists and parties representing the interests of exploitative capitalists have chosen to denigrate the Gundjehmi Aboriginal Corporation, the overwhelming majority of principled Territorians have accepted their right, as the true traditional owners, to veto the development of the Jabiluka uranium mine.
"The Trades and Labour Council is disappointed that you have failed to represent the interests of either traditional owners or the representatives of organised labour in the current debate over uranium mining. To see you line up with [NT Chief Minister] Shane Stone and his right-wing cronies on this issue is an absolute disgrace."
According to Heath, before the letter was sent there was sharp debate over the content amongst Labor party members on the TLC.